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LONDON. — Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho protects a proud personal unbeaten home record against struggling Arsenal this weekend as fans return to the English Premier League for the first time since March.
Pacesetters Spurs have amassed 21 points after 10 games and are ahead of champions Liverpool on goal difference, while Arsenal are stumbling badly.
Tottenham will be playing in front of 2 000 fans at their home ground, 24 hours after West Ham become the first club to welcome supporters for an English Premier League game since March.
Elsewhere, third-placed Chelsea host Leeds while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool welcome Wolves to Anfield.
Tottenham, with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in rampant form, are on a nine-game unbeaten run in the English Premier League while toothless Arsenal have stalled.
The Gunners, languishing in 14th spot in the table, have scored just 10 goals in 10 league matches, and have found the net just twice in their past six games.
No side outside the relegation places has scored fewer.
Mourinho has lost just one of his 17 English Premier League games as a coach against Arsenal and has never lost a home game against them in any competition as boss of Chelsea, Manchester United or Tottenham.
The Portuguese boss has brushed aside the significance of his eye-catching record against the Gunners but will see little to fear from Mikel Arteta’s side tomorrow.
Recent statistics do not make pleasant reading for an out-of-form Arsenal side as they prepare for tomorrow’s north London derby at table-topping Tottenham Hotspur.
The Gunners have failed to win on any of their last six English Premier League trips up the Seven Sisters Road and have never won an away game against a Mourinho-managed team.
While on occasions Mourinho has let the handbrake off, such as thumping away wins against Southampton and Manchester United, Tottenham’s rise has been built on focus, discipline and organisation and a tough-to-beat mentality.
The way they soaked up Manchester City’s passing game to win 2-0 in their last home game, then ground out a 0-0 draw at Chelsea last week would have delighted the Portuguese manager.
At home to an Arsenal side languishing in 14th spot, however, fans will expect a more front-foot approach.
Arsenal have three points fewer after 10 games this season than they did under Unai Emery last season. He was sacked before Christmas and replaced by fellow Spaniard Arteta.
An FA Cup triumph for Arsenal endorsed the faith shown in Arteta, but things have since stagnated. His team have scored only 10 league goals and appear shapeless.
Champions Liverpool, who trail Tottenham on goal difference, kick off at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in tomorrow’s late game, meaning third-placed Chelsea, two points adrift, could go top today when they host Leeds United.
English Premier League stadiums have been empty since March after the coronavirus pandemic forced fans to stay away.
But this weekend they will return in limited numbers in some regions after the nationwide lockdown in England came to an end.
English Premiership Fixtures
Today: Burnley v Everton (2:30pm); Manchester City v Fulham (5pm); West Ham v Manchester United (7:30pm); Chelsea v Leeds (10pm).
Tomorrow: West Brom v Crystal Palace (2pm); Sheffield Utd v Leicester (4:15pm); Tottenham v Arsenal (6:30pm); Liverpool v Wolves (9:15pm).
Monday: Brighton v Southampton (10pm).
Italian Serie A Fixtures
Today: Spezia v Lazio (4pm); Juventus v Torino (7pm); Inter Milan v Bologna (9:45pm).
Spanish La Liga Fixtures
Today: Levante v Getafe (3pm); Sevilla v Real Madrid (5:15pm); Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid (7:30pm); Cadiz v Barcelona (10pm)
Tomorrow: Granada v Huesca (3pm); Osasuna v Real Betis (5:15pm); Villarreal v Elche (7:30pm); Deportivo Alaves v Real Sociedad (10pm).
Monday: Eibar v Valencia (10pm).
Tomorrow: Hellas Verona v Cagliari (1:30pm); Parma v Benevento; AS Roma v Sassuolo; Udinese v Atalanta (all 4pm); Crotone v Napoli (7pm); Sampdoria v AC Milan (9:45pm).
Monday: Fiorentina v Genoa (9:45pm) — AFP.
Online Reporter